Paticcasamuppada Dependent Origination-English version

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Paticcasamuppada
Dependent Origination

Ven. Ajahn Sanong kattapunnyo (Monk)

For a human being, life is the present time is always imperfect because the mind is full of craving in a world of delusion in which things are pleasant and unpleasant. So like and dislike follow sensation arises and flows according to impulses.

So human beings are anxious and struggle to fulfill their desire which is impossible for anyone to do. The more they search, the more anxious they become. Suffering follows all the way. There is no balance and fulfillment because people`s minds are dominated by ignorance.

Therefore, imperfection will always be present.

The Buddha said that as suffering takes place at the present moment, we should not dwell on what happened in the past or in inquire about the future suffering. A deluded person tends to ask questions as to where and when were the origins of consciousness or who the creator was. Such a person can be compared with a wounded man who has been shot and fatally wounded by an arrow, waiting to be cured by a doctor. If the doctor were to ask him various questions such as exactly when and where he was shot and who the archer was, so that the latter would be found first before the patient was given the right medicine, would the doctor`s cure be effective? The patient would certainly die. In the same way, the suffering of the body and the mind takes place here and now; so we do not need to know about the past. It will be a waste of time. We should climinate suffering now, when we are going through the process of birth, old age, decay and death. We should practise the Dhamma as the way to cessation of suffering today. There is no need to wait for a long time to see this process immediately.

Everything is interdependent. Therefore there is a law or Principle of Conditionality which is Dependent Origination. The Buddha pointed out the law of nature. This was a section of the Dhamma or the principle of truth which he uncovered. He realised this true nature by the application of this wisdom. All these things took place long before every Buddha. No one was born in that period to know about it because matter and mind has been around for an incalculable time. The Buddha was enlightened by the wisdom which appeared from his vision of truth in Samadhi. He understood the detail with profundity. This is beyond the ability of ordinary people to comprehend the real nature as they have not possessed the same vision. So the Buddha became the witness of the Dhamma and had the courage to answer the Brahmins` questions with assurance. He was convinced that the principle of the Dhamma which he realised was the truth which could be proved only by following the same system of practice which he did in order to obtain Enlightenment. The way of attaining Dahmma in the mind can really be proved. The Buddha finally concluded that, `From Dependence on Ignorance, arises Kamma Formations`

`Monk ! Tathata (the condition which is such and such). Avitthata (the condition which is immovable). Anannathata (the condition which is chaneable) is the Principle of Idappaccayata as explained before. It can also be called `Dependent Origanation.` The Buddha said that.

`Any group of Brahmins who can understand this group of Dhamma and know their arising, extinction and the process of nature can be acknowledged as people who possess profound wisdom and have great achievement within the present time.`

According to the Tipitaka, Ananda exclaimed, `How marvellous! How Marvellous!. This has not been expounded before. I have never heard or seen it before. How lucky are my eyes, heart and ears to come into contact with this teaching! How lucky I am to be born to realize the truth which you have taught! It is so melodious, so profound, so subtle, so prudent and so easy to understand and appreciate in its clarity. It is as though you have uncovered a hidden object. People can realize and follow this simplified Dhamma. How marvelous! The difficult subject has now been simplified.`

The Buddha retorted. `Ananda, do not say this. Dependent Origination is a very profound Dhamma. difficult to comprehend. Since people do not understand and penetrate right through the Dhamma, they are always in turmoil. Their confusion is compounded in a tangled knot of threads or various kinds of grasses such as lonperata cylindrical and reeds.

Therefore Ananda, sentient beings will always have to be in turmoil ad a lot of anxiety. They can not rise above hells and the Cycle of Existence.`

`Listen, Ananda, I sould warn you not to be careless. The Dhamma I have attained is very difficult to realize. The community at large delights in attachment; being careless, they are attached to their emotions. In this condition, The principle of Idappaccayata or specific conditionality or Dependent Origination will be difficult to grasp, and so too the peace of ending all the Kamma formation, the destruction of all defilement, the cessation of tanha, Viraga (destruction of passion), Nirodha, and Nibbana. The Buddha thought that his teaching would be in vain, there being only careless people deluded and attached to the idea of Self.`

`Ananda, you should know that the Dhamma which I have explained is indeed easy for a wise person who is not deluded by the ided of Self and carried away by it. To hin the Dhamma is simple to understand, melodious,delicate and subtle. However it is difficult for people who believe in Ego, who are careless. Never in their life will they be able to see right through into the depth of this Dhamama.`

The Principle of the Dependent Origination has two meanings. The first one starts from `Through ignorance there are conditioned volitional actions.` It is about the understanding of `the arising` of phenomena. The second meaning concerns the enlightenment of their extinction. The first part shows the arising of the arising of the Cause of suffering or Samudaya (Tanha). The final part deals with the Enlightenment of the Cessation of suffering (Nirodhavara). Dependent Origination in forward and reverse order; -

Imas mim sathi idam hoti: When this is, this arising, that arises.When this is not, that is not; this ceasing, that ceases. This is called `Idappajjayata`starting from suffering in the 4 Noble Truth which is craving,

From Dependence on Ignorance arises Karma Formations.
From Dependence on Karma Formations arises Consciousness.
From Dependence on Consciousness arises Mind and Matter.
From Dependence on Mind and Matter arises The Six Sense-Bases.
From Dependence on The Six Sense-Bases arises Contact.
From Dependence on Contact arises Feeling.
From Dependence on Feeling arises Craving.
From Dependence on Craving arises Clinging.
From Dependence on Clinging arises Becoming.
From Dependence on Becoming arises Birth.
From Dependence on Birth arises Decay and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair will arises. Thus arises this whole mass of suffering.

Through the total fading away and extinction of ignorance, Kamma-Formation are extinguished.
Through the extinction of Consciousness, Mind and Matter are extinguished.
Through the extinction of Mind and Matter, the Six Sense-Bases are extinguished.
Through the extinction of the Six Sense-Bases, Contact is extinguished.
Through the extinction of Contact, Feeling is extinguished.
Through the extinction of Feeling, Craving is extinguished.
Through the extinction of Craving, Clinging is extinguished.
Through the extinction of Clinging, Becoming is extinguished.
Through the extinction of Becoming, Birth is extinguished.
Through the extinction of Birth, Decay, Death`s sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair are extinguished. Thus this whole mass of suffering is extinguished.

The component parts of Dependent Origination are those from Avijja to Marana (Avijja> Sankhara> Vinnana> Nama-Rupa> Salayatana> Phassa> Vedana> Tanha> Upadana> Bhava> Jati> Jara> Marana). Sorrow, lamentation, pain and grief are only by-products. They appear within the person who, having defilement, has to go through Jara and Marana. They are the latent dispositions which cause ignorance and the origin of the wheel.

In this teachings, the Buddha did not always apply Dependent Origiantion in a forward sequence: this full the correct order was for showing the principles. When it came to practice, which started from questions, he taught in reverse order: Jara Marana< Jati< Bhava< Upadana< Tanha< Vedana< Phassa< Salayatana< Nama-Rupa< Vinnana< Sankhara< Avijja.

Compositions of a person`s craving
From dependence on Impulses arises Craving.
From dependence on Craving arises Searching (or Pursuit)
From dependence on Searching arises Fortune.
From dependence on Fortune arises Decision (or Resolve)
From dependence on Resolve arises Love.
From dependence on Love arises Preoccupation.
From dependence on Preoccupation arises Attachment.
From dependence on Attachment arises Miserliness.
From dependence on Miserliness arises Protection.
From dependence on Protection arises Unwholesome Dhamma (or demerit).

Wholesome Dhamma-Unwholesome Dhamma
(The mind which is full of intelligence, reasonable wisdom and peace.- The mind which is not intelligent, but stupid, depressed, cloudy or restless.)

Unwholesome Dhamma is an unskillful actions such as killing, quarrelling, squabbling, slandering and lying. The mind is overcome by Ignorance, bound up by the chain of craving which is never fulfilled.

If human beings in this world want to find the way to overcome impulses and craving which are the latent qualities of their mind, they should study Dependent Origination. This Dhamma, which is the Buddha`s Transcendental wisdom, is the key to dispel all the Unwholesome Dhamma which makes people plunge into the heap of Suffering, so full of anxiety. Peace and contentment will thereby appear in every human being`s mind.

Dependent Origination is the Truth which is necessary for all Buddhists to study because it is the way to understand the states of human mind by the practice of The Four Foundations of mindfulness, applying mindfulness (Sathi) and wisdom (Panna) to contemplate the body, feelings, the mind and reality. This practice is undertaken in order to understand Suffering, the Cause of Suffering and to know the way to Cessation of Suffering. This is called practising the Dhamma until wisdom arises. When wisdom appears, Ignorance is eliminated.

Dependent Origination can be broken up into different forms and subsequently analysed for mediators to understand and gain wisdom.

They have to contemplate each step in turn in the Cycle. Extinction therefore takes place consecutively. Wisdom arises followed by a clear comprehension in the Cycle of Existence. There is no doubt left concerning birth, old age, disease and death. The vision of Truth will appear. The true nature of Suffering will be understood and this is followed by a weariness of birth, old age, disease and death. This realization will free one from the Cycle. The defilements, craving and attachment will be eliminated. One will gain the Four Noble Paths and their Fruitions and will finally realize Nibbana. This can be called Extinction and is the Noble Paths and Fruition of the Perfect One (Arahat) and Nibbana. It is the highest virtue of celestial and human beings.

The Buddha
When the Buddha discovered the Ignorance was the root cause of Suffering, he used the Paths of Truth. Which is transcendental wisdom, to destroy latent dispositions which are buried deep in the flowing panorama of successive mental states. Consequently the became enlightened about the 3 worlds (the sensuous planes, the form planes and the formless plane), the impermanence of Self and Egolessness. What we call Ego consists of the 4 elements, earth, water, fire and wind. It is no more than the combination of the element of corporeality and mentality.

Therefore Ignorance is dispelled by his wisdom; the Buddha achieved the real Extinction of Kamma Formations through the Noble Paths of truth and freed himself from the snare of the origin of Suffering. The Transcendental wisdom which appears is compared with the light of virtue that shines in the heart of the one who practises. Right up to the present day, worlds of the followers have always been happy and peaceful.

The Buddha`s transcendental knowledge is the Dhamma for Cessation of suffering, curing one from the disease of craving which is the science of delusion in the Cycle of Existence.

The Origin of Dependent Origination
The cause of Dependent Origination are as follows.
- From Dependence on Ignorance arises Karma Formations.
- From Dependence on Karma Formations arises Consciousness.
- From Dependence on Consciousness arises Mind and Matter.
- From Dependence on Mind and Matter arises The Six Sense-Bases.
- From Dependence on The Six Sense-Bases arises Contact.
- From Dependence on Contact arises Feeling.
- From Dependence on Feeling arises Craving.
- From Dependence on Craving arises Clinging.
- From Dependence on Clinging arises Becoming.
- From Dependence on Becoming arises Birth.
- From Dependence on Birth arises Decay and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair will arise.

The arising of this whole mass of suffering is called `Dependent Origination.` Dependent Extinction is as follows.

Through the total fading away and extinction of ignorance, Kamma-Formations are extinguished.
Through the extinction of Kamma-Formations, Consciousness is extinguished.
Through the extinction of Consciousness, Mind and Matter are extinguished.
Through the extinction of Mind and Matter, the Six Sense-Bases are extinguished.
Through the extinction of the Six Sense-Bases, Contact is extinguished.
Through the extinction of Contact, Feeling is extinguished.
Through the extinction of Feeling, Craving is extinguished.
Through the extinction of Craving, Clinging is extinguished.
Through the extinction of Clinging, Becoming is extinguished.
Through the extinction of Becoming, Birth is extinguished.
Through the extinction of Birth, Decay, Death sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair are extinguished.

The Extinction of this whole mass of suffering means freeing oneself from the snare or loop of Dependent Origination.

Component parts of Dependent Origination
The Cycle of life is consisted of past, present and future and the components of birth. There is no end and no first cause can be found. What is the cause of birth and death? It starts from the part, moves from past to present again, like an endless chain. This is called the Cycle of Dependent Origination or the base of the Birth of suffering.

1. Ignorance (Avijja) is ignorance of the real nature of Suffering in the mind, its cause, Cessation of Suffering (in the mind), and the Path leading to Cessation of Suffering.

From Dependence on Ignorance (Avijja), Karma Formation arises.

2. Karma Formations (Sankhara) are Volitional activities.
- Bodily Formations
- Verbal Formations
- Mental Formations

From Dependence on Karma Formations, Consciousness arises.

3. Consciousness (Vinnana) is the rising of consciousness of the sense object through the 6 sense organs.

Eyes-Eye Consciousness
Ears-Ear Consciousness
Nose-Nose Consciousness
Tongue-Tongue Consciousness
Body-Body Consciousness

From Dependence on Consciousness, Mind and Matter arise.

4. Mind and Matter (Nama Rupa) :
- Nama is mind within the physical body. It is subtle and delicate in nature in nature and branches out into:
- Feeling or Sensation (Vedana)
- Perception, Memory (Sanna)
-Volition (Cetana)
- Contact (Phassa), Mental Impression
- Mental Application, Pondering (Manasikara)
- Rupa is the physical body which can be contacted by eyes. Its nature is gross and combined wit the 4 Primary Elements of Earth, Water, Fire and Wind.

From Dependence on Mind and Matter, Six Sense Organs arise.

5. Six Sense Organs (Salayatana) : The Six Sense Objects, forms, sounds, odours, sapids, tangible and mental objects, collide with their respective sense organs giving rise to six types of Consciousness.

Eyes-Eye contact
Ears-Ear contact
Nose-Nose contact
Tongue-Tongue contact
Body-Body contact
Mind-Mind contact

From Dependence on the Six Sense Organs, Contact arises.

6. Contact, Mental Impression (Phassa) is the conjunction of the sense bases, senses object and the resultant Consciousness.

Visual consciousness-eye (and forms)
Auditory consciousness-ear (and sounds)
Olfactory consciousness-nose (and odours)
Gustatory consciousness-

(and sapids)
Tactile consciousness-body (and tangible objects)
Mind consciousness-mind (and mental objects)

From dependence on Contact, Sensation arises.

7. Sensation, Feeling (Vedana) is the feeling that experiences an object when it comes in contact with the senses, weather it is pleasant, unpleasant or indifferent.

- Feeling arisen from visual contact-eyes
- Feeling arisen from auditory contact-ears
- Feeling arisen from olfactory contact-nose
- Feeling arisen from gustatory contact-

- Feeling arisen from physical contact-body
- Feeling arisen from mental contact-mind

From Dependence on Sensation, Craving arises.

8. Craving (Tanha)
There are 6 kinds of craving corresponding to the 6 sense objects.

- Craving for forms
- Craving for sounds
- Craving for odours
- Craving for tastes
- Craving for tangible objects
- Craving for mental objects.

From Dependence on Craving, Grasping arises.

9. Grasping (Upadana)
Grasping is clinging to sense-objects and the 5 aggregates.

- Clinging to sensuality
- Clinging to views
- Clinging to mere rules and ritual
- Clinging to ego belief (belief that 5 aggregate are Ego)

From Dependence on Grasping, Becoming arises.

10. Becoming (Bhava) is the mind which searches, full of impulses and emotions. It is the mind of an ordinary man who is dominated by craving, of one who intends to take a rebirth through craving for excistence as the result of attachment in the previous physical forms and lives. There are 3 planes of existence.

The Sensuous planes the worlds of humans, animals and celestial beings.

The Form planes-of devine beings.
The Formes planes-of devine beings.

From Dependence on Becoming, Birth arises.

11. Birth (Jati) is Rebirth which is the arising of psycho-physical phenomena. Men and women form attachment to one another leading to sexual intercourse, Consequently, beings with aggregates and senses are born.

From Dependence on Birth, Old age, Death, Sorrow, Lamentation, Pain, grief and despair arise.

12. Old Age and Death (Jara, Marana)
Jara means decay such as the hair turning grey, teeth dropping out, wrinkled skin, getting older, and the decline of sense faculties. These are impermanent conditions and are full of suffering.

Marana means movement, destruction, death, the braking up of the aggregates, the elimination of the senses faculties.

The source of all this Suffering is Ignorance which can be compared with a plant. The plant grows into a tree, complete with roots, trunks, leaves, flowers and fruit. However, its origin can not be found. In the same way a sentient being`s physical and mental factors arise dependent on Ignorance, of which no one can trace its origin. It has already appeared as a chain of Dependent Origination.

An ordinary man can only stop the Cycle of Dependent Origination temporarily because he has no transcendental wisdom about the aggregates.

On the other hand, a Noble One can stop the Cycle permanently by transcendental wisdom. He will never take a Rebirth again. It is the real Extinguishing and is like a fire which has completely gone out once its fuel has been consumed. The 5 aggregates are reall understood by the appearance of wisdom.

(Translation by Fuensin Trafford and Simon Romer)

May all creature take care of themselves hapily สาธุ